Rob Wright is Chief Editor of Life Science Leader, where he also pens a blog for healthcare and pharmaceutical industry execs. Life Science Leader is targeted to key players in the life sciences industry, delivering informative content on current events, technology, policy and regulations, and best practices for the field.

Though Wright’s day (and inbox) is full to the brim, he is remarkably available to people, including skilled PR pros. “I am striving to engage, network and learn with and from people, and you never know when that learning might occur,” he explains. “My biggest frustration is I can never get caught up on all the ideas I have for articles. So, I appreciate a PR person who can help me do this, without wasting my time.”

Wright offered me a few do’s and don’ts for life sciences PR pros who want to be the helpful type.

DON’T Recycle a Pitch

“First thing, PR people should understand that they are a valuable resource,” says Wright. “But when I can tell it’s a pitch that’s been recycled, such as my name appearing in a different size or color font, or they call the magazine by the wrong name, that is when they lose credibility.”

“I make very effective use of the delete key,” he warns, “especially if it’s been pitched 50 other places.  Do yourself a favor and get to know Life Science Leader’s audience, then “pitch something specific that is a fit.”

DO Follow Guidelines

Wright takes time to “provide some direction, as well as a submission guide, so [PR people] have the best chance of getting their articles published.” Understandably, he says it’s “frustrating when I receive an article where…it is obvious the direction was flat out ignored.  If I say, ‘don’t include references’ and they put them in there, or I give them a word count and they run over by 500 words, they aren’t setting themselves up for success.”

It’s not that hard to get it right with LSL. “Our focus is not on reviewing technology. It’s more about what spurred the company to create the technology or implement the strategy; how it was done, and what the company would have done differently. Our goal is to provide best business practice editorials with actionable information for our readers.”

DON’T be Long Winded

“Your pitch should be elegant,” instructs Wright. Elegant means concise–even more concise than you think. “Cover it in 2 sentences. Better yet, give me 3 or 4 bullets up front. If I need more information I will ask.”

“Telling me about how terrible a disease is and including a bunch of metrics on morbidity and mortality, and then how company ‘X’ has the revolutionary solution is typical and not required in a pitch. I want you to get to the point about why I should care about company ‘X’ or executive ‘Y’.”

The longer the pitch, the less likely he is to even skim, figuring “a long pitch was put together to be emailed to as many publications as possible and probably not a fit for the magazine anyway.”

DO Plan Ahead

“We frequently see PR professionals who will…contact me about a planned topic and offer a source,” says Wright. That would be a good idea, “except often, they are calling way too late. An article that appears in say, the August issue, may have had the interview conducted in June, so it can be finalized for layout the first week of July.”

Make that mistake once, and Wright will politely correct you. Make it twice, and your emails will end up in the trash. “One PR company sends me a monthly email referencing our ed cal, offering up a source when it is way too late,” he shares. “I don’t even bother to open their emails anymore.”

DON’T Just Self-Promote

Wright puts it plainly: “Press releases that promote the company’s newest offering (i.e., they moved a button so the product is new and improved) are not valuable to me.”

Other press releases that Wright can use share “quarterly results and the potential impact on the company’s stock,” or news of “the company winning an award by an independent organization” or “signing a deal with a major pharma.” (That is, as long as you can mention the pharmaceutical company’s name.) Ultimately, “press releases that have the most value have metrics, actionable types of information, and are not self-serving.”

DO Be a Connector

Wright is quick to affirm that “good PR people are really fun to work with.” What makes a PR person “good?” Useful connections, for starters. “One PR person introduced me to executives within their company at a trade show. I was able to get into deep discussions which can often lead to interesting articles. When I get in these discussions, it’s because the PR person was so good at giving me enough time to help me do this.”

A good PR person says, “‘I want you to meet so and so.’ Then they’ll come back in 15 minutes and introduce me to someone else. So they are helping me network.” And they “don’t hover and remind their client/executive what they should talk about.”

DON’T Send an Inappropriate Source

To pitch a great source, you have to thoroughly understand LSL’s audience and mission. “PR people who pitch to me that I should interview the CEO of a vendor or potential advertiser for a…feature story have obviously failed to understand our audience,” says Wright. However, “a vendor who can bring a pharma or biotech executive, or another type of key opinion leader to the table” can wind up in “a successful departmental article.”

The ideal source depends on the article type. “When I interview a CEO we’re looking at something very high level like the importance of innovation for the U.S. economy.” On the other hand, “for a particular strategy to supercharge the company’s [research and development] innovation engine, I want to talk to the VP of R&D who actually implemented and executed upon the CEO’s vision.”

Smaller companies can gain an edge by pitching an irresistible source. “I want a leader who is willing to be provocative and mix things up,” explains Wright. “I’m interested in people who are shaping the industry.”

DO Get on the Phone

One of the most surprising facts about Wright is that he likes to answer his phone. “I have been amazed what can happen,” he says, “as I have been delighted to have a reader call with a suggestion for an article, or a top industry consultant call me with an idea, or an entrepreneur share their story — unsolicited.”

He also uses the phone to vet and connect with new social media contacts. “This can be very time consuming but can pay huge dividends,” he reasons. “Someone tweeted me about connecting on LinkedIn. We scheduled a phone call. This person then connected me to an executive, who connected me to a best-selling author, who contributed an article, who connected me to a communication consulting expert who has consulted very high level folks including Hillary Clinton.”

Help Wright Help You

A good PR person makes everyone’s job easier. Their “pitch is concise and on target…they follow through when they say they will,” and, “if something falls through the cracks, they let me know.”

In summary, Wright says “a good PR person (1) knows our audience, (2) follows through, and (3) helps me beyond what is in it for them.” Whether it’s paying close attention to guidelines; planning ahead with his editorial calendar; sharing valuable metrics and information; helping him make industry connections; or getting on the phone; that extra step can be worth miles of PR success at Life Sciences Leader.

Photo: Life Science Leader